Unowhatimeanharry extended his winning sequence to seven with a wide-margin success in the JLT Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.
Harry Fry's eight-year-old completed a five-timer in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at last season's Cheltenham Festival and appeared better than ever in Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury on his first start in the colours of JP McManus.
Stepped back up to Grade One level, Unowhatimeanharry was the 6-5 favourite in the hands of Barry Geraghty, who was content to bide his time while Newbury runner-up Ballyoptic adopted more positive tactics in an attempt to reverse the form.
Ballyoptic was pursued for much of the three-mile journey by Reve De Sivola, who won this prize three times in succession between 2012 and 2014, but the latter was back-pedalling before the home turn.
West Approach, a half-brother to last year's Long Walk winner Thistlecrack, moved smoothly into contention, but all the while Unowhatimeanharry was making headway on the leaders.
West Approach began to weaken in the straight and Unowhatimeanharry looked to be getting the better of Ballyoptic when he crashed out at the final flight.
His exit gave the hot favourite breathing space and he kept up the gallop to score by four and a half lengths from Lil Rockerfeller, with Un Temps Pour Tout a distant third.
Geraghty said: "He did it well. He had to work harder here than he did the last day.
"He had to work hard, so it was a good performance.
"He's very good, but he only does as much as he has to.
"He probably has a little more class than he lets on."
